Combined relay, target-setting, and return-call-circuit-closing device.



E. R. CUNNINGHAM.

COMBINED RELAY, TARGET SETTING, AND RETURN CALL CIRCUIT CLOSING DEVICE.APPLIOATION FILED-311F127, 1909.

1,016,482, v Patented Feb. 6, 1912.

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Edward R.CUDDI.ID9I)UD).

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E. R. CUNNINGHAM.

'COMBINED RELAY, TARGET SETTING, AND RETURN CALL CIRCUIT CLOSING DEVICE.

' APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 7, 1909.

1,016,482. Patented Feb. 6,1912.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

J wi Eciward R cunninykam UNITED STATES PATENT QFFICE.

EDWARD R. CUNNINGHAM, OF DES MOINES, IOWA, ASSIGNOR- OF ONE-THIRD TO E.B. BIEGHLER AND ONE-THIRD TO FRANK G. TATE, BOTH OF DES MOINES, IOWA.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 6,1912.

Application filed September 7, 1909. Serial No. 516,611.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EDWARD R. CUNNING- HAM, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing in Des Moines, county of Polk, and State of Iowa, haveinvented a new and useful Im provement in Combined Relay,Target-Setting, and Return-Call-Circuit-Closing Devices, of which thefollowing is a specification.

My invention relates to a new and improved method of automaticallysetting, operating and releasing, signals on an electrically operatedrailway, by means of a trolley wheel, or other current collectingdevice, of electrically operated cars.

My invention consists of specially constructed and electrically operatedsetting switches, combined non-interfering relay and indicating targetsor semaphores, and electrically operated releasing switches, so arrangedand connected as to set, operate and release, signal lights, indicatingtargets, or semaphores, at each end of the block, or within the block,by the passage of the car in or out of the block, indicating at bothends of the block, or at intervals along the block, when a car is in theblock and the direction it is running.

The object of my invention is to so thoroughly equip an electricallyoperated railway with danger and safety signals of various kinds,combined with return proofs showing that all signals in advance and inthe rear have been set, as to make it practically impossible foropposing cars not to be notified and warned as to the positions,locations, etc., of the other cars.

A further object is to provide my signal setting apparatus with meansresponsive to failure of energy in the system for insuring said signalsgiving the same indication upon return of energy in the system and alsoto provide means whereby the block or danger targets will remain setwhen a car is within the block, giving the same indication withoutenergy. on the line as with it.

Another object is to provide a contact for setting and releasing thesignals on the system which will be operated in such a manner as not todiminish the efliciency of the electricity in the operation of the car.

A further object is to provide a return call circuit closing device soconstructed that the setting of the signals thereon is absolute andconclusive proof that all other signals on the system, controlled by theparticular setting switch of the car entering the block, have been set.

My invention consists of certain details of construction hereinafter setforth, pointed out in my claim and illustrated in the accompanyingdrawings, in which- Figure I shows a diagram of the system of wiring Iemploy and the location of the various electrical and mechanical parts;Fig. II shows a transverse sectional view of the non-interfering relayand semaphore target which I employ; Fig. III shows a side view of thequick acting automatic or self restoring setting switch which I employto set the signals; Fig. IV shows a plan view, on the line B-B in Fig.V, of the non-interfering relay and semaphore target I employ; Fig. Vshows a longitudinal sectional view of the same, taken on the line AA,in Fig. II.

Referring to the accompanying drawings the reference letters A and B areused to indicate two stations on an electric railway line, and eachstation is provided with a switch to permit the cars to pass oneanother. 'The right track at each station is provided with'a settingswitch which is operated by a contact secured to the trolley wire anditself operated by the trolley wheel of the car in passing through.

The contact is so constructed and the parts so wired as to transmit theenergy from the current collecting device to the setting switch which isillustrated in Fig. III.

The setting switch is a specially constructed three point, two way,lever switch designed to be moved or operated in one direction bygravity, when released by the quick acting trolley contact relay, and tobe automatically restored and operated in the other direction by asolenoid magnet which is cut in the return call circuit, as hereinafterdescribed. For convenience I have surrounded all the parts contained inthe setting switches with dotted lines and I have indicated the parts,as inclosed, generally by the letters D and C, respectively, which referto the setting switches at the stations A and B respectively.

I have provided, at each station, a nonin front of an opposing car.

interfering relay and semaphore target, illustrated in Figs. II, IV andV, which is designed and constructed not only to open the signal settingswitch at the other endof the block when a car has entered and takenpossession of the block from one end, thus preventing an opposing carfrom setting the opposite direction signals, but for the fur therpurpose of setting a red danger target The operation of setting thetarget closes the secondary circuit, sending back a return signal to thecar entering the block that the setting switch at the other end has beenopened and the semaphore or danger target set against all opposing carsand this signal will remain set until the entering car has passedthrough the block and released the signals. This combinednon-interfering relay and target is located between the setting switchand the contact for operating the same, and con sists of two solenoids19 and 20 mounted, horizontally, on opposite sides of a frame 21, and anarmature shaft 22, designed to operate between them, and to open andclose circuits, as will be hereinafter dwcribed. The armature shaft 22,of this combined non-interfering relay target and return call circuitclosing device, is mounted upon two insulating faxles, 23 and 24, whichhave suitable wheels at either end. The object of these wheels and axlesis to carry the weight of the armature, to balance it, and to allow itto move freely back and forth by decreasing the friction. Centrallylocated upon, and extending upwardly from, the armature shaft 22 are twopins 25 and 26 and resting between them is an arm 27 rigidly connected,at its outer extremity, with a semaphore crank 28 which is mounted, forrotary movement, in the frame 12. The nu 'merals 29 and 30, 31 and 32,and 33 and 34, indicate three sets or pairs of contacts, the members ofeach set being disposed on opposite sides of the frame 21, in line withtheir respective wheels. A further object of the axles and wheels, whichsupport the armature shaft, is to keep the pins 25 and 26, which throwthe semaphore crank, in a vertical position. Another object of the axlesand wheels is to electrically connect, or open the contacts 29 and 30,or 31 and 32, or 33 and 34, depending upon the position of the armatureshaft 22, as hereinafter described.

The complete system as applied to a block signal on a single trackbetween the two turnouts, or'stations, A and B is illustrateddiagrammatically in Fig. I, and operates as follows: The trolley wheel,or other current collecting device, of a car entering the block by, wayof station A, passes under, or

through, the contact (which I will number 35 in the diagram) raising, oroutwardly defleeting, the contact plates and closing the contact e.connects it to the trolley wire). lVhile the current collecting device.is within, or under, the contact a current will flow from the trolleywire through the connection 36 to contact 34, of the non-interferingrelay (which in the diagram I have inclosed with dotted lines andindicated by the letter E) at station A, through the wheels and shaft 24(providing opposing signals are not set,

'in which event the setting circuit will be through a permanent trolleyconnection 45 to the contact 44, of the setting switch D at station A,through the switch lever 43 to the contact hinge, pivotal connection,46, thence through the line wire connection 47 to the hinged contact, orpivotal connection, 48, of the setting switch C at station B,'thencethrough the switch lever 49 to the spring actuated latch lever contact50, thence through the connection 51 to the setting solenoid magnet 52,of the non-interfering relay and target setting device F, at station B,thence through the connection 53 and the non-inductive resistance 54 tothe ground 55 at station B. Current flowing in the above describedcircuit energizing the setting solenoid magnet 52, of thenon-interfering relay Fand draws the armature, or core, 56 toward thesetting solenoid. The movement of the armature in the direction of thesetting solenoid sets the red target, which is mechanically connected tothe armature by turning it through an angle of 90 degrees, so that thewhite target is concealed from view while the red target is exposed.

It will be remembered that the non-interfering relay F at station B, isexactly similar in every respect to thenon-interfering relay E atstation A, and the setting switches C and D, at their respectivestations are also exactly similar to each other. The same movement ofthe armature 56, which sets the red target, moves the contact plate 57from the contacts 58 and 59, thus opening the circuit between thetrolley contact (30 and the setting switch C, at station B, and thiswill prevent an opposing car, should it disregard the danger signals,from operating the opposite direction signals or from interfering withthem in any manner. The movement of the armature 56 also removes thecontact plate 60 from its connection with the contacts 61 and 62 andcauses it to close the circuit between the contacts 63 and 64. Theclosing of contacts 63 and 64 permits a current to flow from the trolleywire through the permanent connection 65 through the red lights 66 tocontact 64, through the contact plates 60 to the contact 63, through theconnection 67 to the contact 68 through the short circuiting switchlever 69 to the contact 70 thence through the line connection 71 torestoring solenoid magnet 72, of the setting switch D at station A,through this magnet to the connection 73 and to the contact 31, of thenoninterfering relay and target setting device E, at stat-ion A, throughthe wheels and aXles, which I sometimes refer to as contact plate, 23,tocontact 32, thence through a connection 74 to the white, or return call,lights 75, thence through a connection 76 to the ground 77. The lightingof the return call lights is a positive indication, to the car enteringthe block by way of station A, that the red, or danger, target atstation B has been set, for the reason that the setting of the redtarget closes the return call circuit. Current flowing in the returncall circuit momentarily flows through the restoring solenoid 72, of thesetting switchD at station A, which raises the pivotally mounted switchlever 43 by means of the armature 78. When the switch lever has beenraised it is engaged by the latch lever 42, which is actuated by thespring 79, and this causes the solenoid 72 to be shunted out by thecontact plate 80 which is attached to the switch lever 43 with hingedand insulated connection, as clearly shown in Fig. III. The raising ofthe switch lever 43 cuts the power off the setting circuit and the line47, by restoring the end of said line, at station A, to the ground,which is its home position. After the car has entered the block and setthe distant danger target at station B, current will continue to flowthrough the return call circuit, lighting the red lights 66 at thedistant station, and the white, or return call, lights 75 at the homestation, while the car is within the block. Should the power fail whilethe car is within the block the danger target will remain set, showingthat a car is within the block, giving the same indication without poweras with it, the only difference being that the return call lights willbe extinguished during the interval the power is down.

A semaphore may be used in place of the return call light, or inconjunction with the return call lights, which will remain set in theevent of failure of power on the line while a car is within the block,and I do not wish to limit myself to the use of return call lights alonebut am free to use semaphores, or the like, in place of, or inconjunction with, the return call lights. The semaphore for this purposeis one that is held in the set position during the .pas sage of acurrent, this being accomplished by any of the well known devicesadapted for this purpose.

In leaving the block the trolley wheel engages the contact 81, atstation B, saidcontact being similar to the contact 35 at station A, andmomentarily connects the trolley wire to the contact plates and currentflows momentarily, through the connection 82 to the relay magnet 83,thence through the connection 84 and the non-inductive resistance 54 tothe ground 55. The energizing of the relay magnet 83 draws a springactuated latch lever 85 out of its engagement with an L shaped,pivotally mounted, switch lever 86, of the releasing switch and saidswitch lever falls, by gravity, and closes the contacts 87 and 88.Current then flows from the trolley wire through the permanentconnection 89 to the contact 87, through a plate 90, on the switch lever86, to the contact 88, through the connection 91 to the solenoid 92, ofthe non-interfering relay and target operating device F at station B,thence through the connection 93 and the connection 94 and thenon-inductive resistance 54 to the ground 55. Current flowing in thiscircuit draws the armature shaft 56 toward the releasing solenoid 92,turning the target through an angle of degrees and thus concealing thered target and restoring it to its home position. The movement of thearmature shaft 56 opens the return call circuit between the contacts 63and 64 by drawing the contact plate 60 away from them. This movement ofthe armature shaft also closes the circuit between the contact plates 61and 62 by causing the contact plate 60 to connect them, thus restoringthe return call circuit to the ground at station B, which is its normal,or home position. This movement of the armature shaft 56 also closes thecontacts 58 and 59 by moving the plate 57 until it connects them, thusrestoring the circuit from the trolley contact 60 to the setting switchC at station B, which was opened to prevent an opposing car fromoperating the setting switch at station B while a car was within theblock. This movement of the armature shaft 56 causes it to strike thedownwardly projecting member of the L shaped, pivotally mounted, switchlever 86, thus forcing the main body of the said lever upwardly until itis again engaged and held in its home position by the latch lever 85.

Each station of each block is equipped with exactly similar constructionand their parts are connected by the line wires 47 and 71. As I havehereinbefore described the construction and operation of the parts whichare'operated by a car passing from one block to the other, it is obviousthat it is unnecessary to describe the operation of a car coming in theopposite direction, for it will operate in exactly the same manner. Itis also obvious .that when any car leaves any station it leaves mysystem in readiness to be operated by a car subsequently entering thesame block.

It will be noted that in perfecting my system I have so constructeditthat no magnets are in circuit, except momentarily, and all trolleyconnections are cut ofl' except when a car is within the block, and thenonly the return call circuit is connected with the trolley. Probably themost important feature of my invention and the one to which I desire tocall particular attention, is that the return call lights, or signals,cannot light or operate until after the distant danger signals have beenset. I also desire to call attention to the quick acting, relayoperated, setting switch which I employ and which causes the settingswitch to remain closed until the danger target at the distant stationhas operated and it is then automatically restored by the return-callcircuit. It will also be noted that my quick acting, relay operated,restoring mechanism leaves the power on the restoring solenoid 92 untilthe signals are restored and then it is automatically cut oii.

Having thus described my invention what I claim and desire to secure byLetters Patent of the United States is:

The combination with a trolley line, of a normally open groundconnection leading from said trolley line and including a magnet, acircuit controlling switch cont-rolled by said magnet, a normally opengrounded connection from said wire controlled by said switch andincluding a solenoid, spaced signals, a third ground connection from thetrolley wire including said spaced signals and a circuit closer, a corefor said solenoid controlling said last mentioned circuit closer, asecond solenoid included in the signal circuit and connected with saidcircuit controlling switch to open the same when energized, a shuntaround said solenoid closed by the opening of said circuit controllingswitch and restoring means comprising a normally open groundedconnection including a magnet closed by the passage of a car, a circuitcloser controlled by said magnet, a normally open grounded connectionfrom the wire including a solenoid and adapted for closure by saidcircuit closer, the-core of said solenoid being connected in alinementwith the core of the first mentioned solenoid.

EDIVARD R. CUNNINGHAM.

Vitnesses B. M. SEDGWIGK, ZELL G. ROE.

Qopies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C.

